Srinagar, January 06, 2018 (PPI-OT):In occupied Kashmir, four Indian policemen were killed in a powerful blast in Sopore town, today. A senior police official told media that the blast occurred when an improvised explosive device went off in Gole Market area of the town. He said that three shops were also damaged in the explosion.
The blast occurred amid complete shutdown on the completion of 25 years to a deadly massacre by Indian troops in the town. Call for the shutdown was given by the Joint Resistance Leadership comprising Syed Ali Gilani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik. Over 60 civilians were martyred and more than 350 structures including residential houses and shops were gutted after Indian soldiers set the town ablaze.
The resistance leaders had also announced to hold a rally in the town to pay tributes to the victims of the massacre, which was carried out by the troops on this day in 1993. However, the puppet authorities sealed all entry and exit points of Sopore by deploying Indian troops and police personnel in strength to prevent people from holding the rally. The authorities had already put several Hurriyat leaders under house arrest or in custody to prevent them from visiting Sopore town and leading the rally.
Meanwhile, participants of a prayers session held at New Colony Bus Stand in Sopore including Hurriyat leaders, Bashir Ahmed Qureshi, Ghulam Nabi Zaki, Shah Wali Muhammad and Abdul Ahad reaffirmed the Kashmiris’ resolve to continue the mission of their martyrs till it reached its logical conclusion. A special prayers meeting for the victims of Sopore carnage was also held at the APHC headquarters in Srinagar. It was presided over by Ghulam Nabi Sumjhi and attended among others by Muhammad Yousuf Naqash and Hakeem Abdur Rasheed.
Hurriyat leaders and organizations including Syed Ali Gilani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Farida Bahenji, Firdous Ahmed Shah, Dukhtaran-e-Millat, Democratic Freedom Party, JKLF-R and Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Freedom League in their statements in Srinagar demanded probe by an international agency into all incidents of mass killings by the troops in occupied Kashmir. Members of Jammu and Kashmir Salvation Movement visited martyrs’ graveyard in Sopore and paid homage to the martyrs of the massacre.
In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, an academic activity and exhibition to create awareness about the human rights violations by Indian troops in occupied Kashmir were organized by an independent non-governmental organization for human rights called JUST. Speakers of the seminar, which was attended by people from various walks of life including the academics, diplomats, members of civil society, highlighted the crimes against humanity committed by the troops particularly blinding of Kashmiri youth on mass scale through use of pellet guns.
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